Genesis 48:1

1 After this Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill"; so he took with him his two sons, Manas'seh and E'phraim.

Genesis 48:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:1

And it came to pass after these things
Some little time after Jacob had sent for Joseph, and conversed with him about his burial in the land of Canaan, and took an oath to bury him there, for then the time drew nigh that he must die: that [one] told Joseph, behold, thy father [is] sick;
he was very infirm when he was last with him, and his natural strength decaying apace, by which he knew his end was near; but now he was seized with a sickness which threatened him with death speedily, and therefore very probably dispatched a messenger to acquaint Joseph with it. Jarchi fancies that Ephraim, the son of Joseph, lived with Jacob in the land of Goshen, and when he was sick went and told his father of it, but this is not likely from what follows: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim;
to see their grandfather before he died, to hear his dying words, and receive his blessing.

Genesis 48:1 In-Context

1 After this Joseph was told, "Behold, your father is ill"; so he took with him his two sons, Manas'seh and E'phraim.

2 And it was told to Jacob, "Your son Joseph has come to you"; then Israel summoned his strength, and sat up in bed.

3 And Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,

4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.'

5 And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; E'phraim and Manas'seh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are.